The Department of Commerce has awarded almost $5 million to 17 small businesses under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
The companies eligible for the funding span nine states and, in its first phase, will be used to support microelectronics research projects that have the potential to be commercialized.
The funding is the first to be awarded by the CHIPS Research and Development Office, which receives its funding from the CHIPS for America program – a $52bn funding package that forms part of the US CHIPS and Science Act and the funds from which have been designated to subsidies for US semiconductor manufacturers.
Successful companies were selected from responses to a Notice of Funding opportunity that called for projects focusing on critical services, tools, and instrumentation, alongside innovative manufacturing solutions, and R&D testbeds.
The 17 companies include California-based HighRI Optics, which is developing technology to calibrate extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithographic tools; Colorado-based Octave Photonics, which is developing tools to analyze airborne contaminants inside and outside chip fabs; Oregon-based Provenance Chain Network, which is developing a Commerical Trust Protocol to help support and manage the microelectronics supply chain industry; and Texas-based Exigent Solutions, which is developing AI-powered software to automate chip design optimization.
In its first phase, the department said the program will establish the merit, feasibility, and commercial potential of the projects, with all 17 companies eligible for consideration for an SBIR Phase 2 award in Spring 2025. Each successful project that makes it to Phase 2 of the program will be eligible for up to $1.91 million in funding.
“As we grow the US semiconductor industry, the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to building opportunities for small businesses to prosper,” said US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “With today’s awards, these 17 businesses will support CHIPS for America’s efforts to grow the US semiconductor ecosystem and support our national and economic security.”
Laurie E. Locascio, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), added: “NIST and CHIPS for America are proud to support these small businesses as they take innovations, scale them for the commercial marketplace, and boost the U.S. economy. We are happy to support the entrepreneurs with great ideas as they seek to build the next great American company.”
To date, CHIPS for America has awarded more than $32bn in proposed funding to companies across 16 states, including GlobalFoundries, TSMC, Samsung Electronics, Micron, SK Hynix, and GlobalWafers.
